9 Terrifying Things You Won't Believe Can Happen With The Human Body

The human body is an anomaly. An existence so complex, that even centuries of scientific research don’t have an answer to many of the questions about the functioning of the human body. Here are 9 terrifying things that you just CANNOT believe can happen with the human body.

1. Can ‘Burn to Ashes’ On Its Own

‘Spontaneous human combustion’ refers to burning of a human body ‘without’ any external source of ignition. Although it has still not been proven by science but a number of burning cases exist which had absolutely no relation to an external source of fire or any other type of ignition have been reported. The two most notable cases of SHC have been that of Robert Francis Bailey and Mary Reeser of St. Petersburg, Florida. In all the cases of SHC, the common (and baffling) thing noted was that the fire had caused very little damage to combustible things in contact with the body while the body itself was burnt to ashes.

2. The Eyes Can Explode

Fuchs' Dystrophy is an extremely rare genetic disease in which cells in an inner layer of the cornea called the ‘endothelium’ start dying away. Since these cells are responsible for pumping water out of the eyes, the water assimilates under the cornea and it starts to swell. Sometimes the water retention is so much that it explodes out of the eye in the form of painful cornea blisters.

3. Eaten Alive By Bacteria

That’s true. You can be eaten alive by bacteria and even be witness to the horrific ordeal. Necrotizing Fasciitis, or NF is a bacteria that devours human flesh upon contraction. What’s even worse is that it is very, very hard to control. In most reported cases, either the infected body part had to be amputated or numerous surgeries had to be performed to stop it from spreading any further. Over seventy percent of all people suffering from NF—diagnosed and undiagnosed— die.

4. Tissues, Muscles And Ligaments Can Turn into ‘Bones’

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) or commonly known as Stone Man Syndrome is an extremely rare genetic disease in which instead of repairing, the damaged tissues, muscles and ligaments turn into bones, which causes the joints to get frozen, ultimately making the sufferer immobile. The worst part is that this condition cannot be operated upon.

5. Hands Can Act Against Will

Alien Hand Syndrome, as this condition is known, involves a rogue hand that acts independently of the brain. The rogue hand can grasp objects and often moves in a way that you don’t want it to move. There is no cure for this and the best the sufferer can do is to make sure the hand is actively engaged in activity.

6. Death While Sleeping

The occurrence of Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS) has till date not been verified by science and has majorly been cloaked in superstition. However, the most possible explanation of SUNDS takes into account the paralysis of cardiac muscles and diaphragm while sleeping. Since it is mostly visible in Filipino people, they call it ‘bangungot’ and claim that this happens after ingesting high levels of carbohydrates just before sleeping. However, most of SUNDS victims till date have had a healthy medical history and no traces of heart diseases whatsoever.

Immune system protects the human body from disease, and that’s exactly why it’s called the ‘immune system’. But not in the case of AIED! Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease is a condition in which the immune system starts attacking your ear— ultimately destroying the hearing capacity completely.

8. Can Get Burnt From Water

Aquagenic urticaria, also known as 'water allergy' or 'water urticaria', is a rare form of allergy in which the affected person can get rashes, blisters or hives whenever he comes in contact with water.

9. Can Forget How To Speak Or Recognize Languages

Imagine one day you get up and forget how to speak! That will be like living a nightmare. Landau–Kleffner syndrome (LKS) is again a medical condition in which a person forgets how to speak or recognize languages altogether. Mostly this disease is confused with autism but it’s not even close, as in many cases the patients were mentally and physically just fine. The sufferer might experience seizures but they also disappear after the age of 15. The condition is untreatable.